I identified myself completely with Him

What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn't work. So I quit being a "law man" so I could be God's man. Christ's life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:19-20 The Message

Paul understood the freedom that comes when we identify ourselves completely with Christ.  He knew that there was absolutely nothing he, Paul, could do to restore the relationship with his Heavenly Father. Only Jesus's death and resurrection could allow us to be in right-standing with God. 

I am not going back on that. Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God's grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping then Christ died unnecessarily. Galatians 2:21 The Message

Paul knew there was only one way forward. And that was to receive God's grace and follow Jesus. 

For if because of one man's trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely those who receive [God's] overflowing grace (unmerited favour) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). Romans 5:17 AMP

Why is that we sometimes find it so hard to keep our faith journey so simple? Is it because the gift of grace and right-standing with God is free, and we are used to having to make payment for something good? Is it because to follow Jesus, we need to learn how to let Him be in control of our lives, every single aspect of our lives? We have to do life His way, not our way.

Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Mark 8:34 The Message.

Questions for today, who do you identify with? Do you identify with Christ? Do you have a personal and free relationship with God? If not, ask God to show you how to receive His grace in your life and live in the freedom Christ has given you.

But now that you've found you don't have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God's gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master. Romans 6:22,23 The Message